LIGHT ARTILLERY
 

Model: D-30 Gun-howitzer Type:  heavy gun-howitzer
Caliber: 120mm Accuracy:  Varies (-3 ~ +2)
Damage: 12d10 / PEN 7. In direct-fire mode, HEAT rounds can be used against armoured targets (PEN 12 HEAT). Blast area:  6m
Ammo supply:  reloaded every shot Rate of fire:  1/3 (normal. In a pinch, it can fire in ½ rate for short periods)
Relability:  Standard Range:  17.000 m (indirect fire), 1.000m (direct fire)
Deploy time:  5 minutes Price: varies
D-30 is a generic name for numerous copies of the original Russian D-30 (in fact, designated as 2A18M) gun-howitzer. D-30’s are produced in a variety of countries, and thus they do vary in quality (which affects accuracy and relaibility. Typical Chinese model – one of the most popular variants – is WA 0, ST. Russian ones are tougher – WA +1, VR). They are good, basic heavy artillery, capable of pretty long-ranged fire, and can be used as direct-fire artillery as well. D-30 can be towed by an APC, but a typical truck does the job as well. Minimum crew is 4 soldiers, but the original Russian specifications called for an 8 – man crew.

A brand-new Russian D-30 costs 13’000 eb. A Chinese one can be bought for 11’000 eb.
If you’re desperate enough to look for a tenth-handed Mozambiquan one, you can find it for as little as 10’000e$ (but be sure your insurance covers explosions).

A single round costs 70eb, and 3 rounds can fit into 1 space. The gun itself takes 14 spaces.

Model: IAI “Bouncer” Type: air-defence turret
Caliber: .50 cal
 Accuracy:  +1
Damage: 6d10 / PEN  3 Blast area:  none
Ammo supply:  reloaded every shot Rate of fire:  250
Relability: VR Range: 500m (direct fire only)
Deploy time: Immediate (mounted)
 Price: 15,000 eb
“Bouncer” is an air-defence weapon set. It consists of a 12,7mm minigun, 4 VSAM’s (IR-homing, what MaxMetal calls “active missiles”) and a target-acquisition radar. The set can be mounted on an armoured vehicle, a big jeep (Humvee or equivalent) or a small trailer. It’s pretty effective as a close-range, light AA defence system, and the Israelis sell quite a number of them.

Model: IAI SkyGuard Type: air defence turret 
Caliber: .50 cal Accuracy:  +1
Damage: 6d10 / PEN 3 Blast area:  none
Ammo supply:  1000 Rate of fire:  250
Relability: VR Range: 500m (direct fire only)
Deploy time:  Immediate (mounted)
 Price: 17,000 eb
Big brother to the Bouncer system, SkyGuard is slightly bigger and heavier (so it’s usually installed on an armoured truck chassis, or APC), but it packs 18 missiles insetad of just 4! Apart from that, those two systems don’t differ significantly.

Model: IAI SkyShield Type: air defence turret 
Caliber: 20mm Accuracy: 0
Damage: 8d10 / PEN 4 Blast area:  none
Ammo supply: 200 per gun (400 total) Rate of fire: 45 per gun (90 total)
Relability: VR Range: 800m (direct fire only)
Deploy time:  Immediate (mounted)
 Price: 35,000 eb
The biggest kid in the family, SkyShieldpacks twin 20mm gun for close-in work, and a whopping 54 VSAMs as it’s main firepower. The Isrealis went along the “the more, the better” line, but weren’t sucessful. Although this system allows for larger ammo reserve, most militaries don’t consider it a worthy investment – it’s weight calls for an MBT chassis, and simulation shows it has no chance of survivng on the battlefield long enough to make use of all it’s missiles. For the same weight, most armies would prefer a long-raged system, even if it would had only a fraction of SkyShield’s missile reserve.

Model: Militech AGM-218 Haymaker Type: support missile launcher
Caliber: 200 mm Accuracy:  +2
Damage: 28D10 HE (PEN 14) Blast area: 18m
Ammo supply: 3 Rate of fire: 1-3 (note: only 1 missile can be controlled by operator at a time)
Relability: ST
 Range: 25,000m (indirect fire only)
Deploy time:  2 minutes
 Price: 20,000 eb
The Haymaker was projected to provide heavy fire support to light troops and in difficult area, where conventional artillery cannot be used because of some reasons. The system carries 3 heavy surface-to-surface missiles, that are equipped with twin guidance system – they can be controlled by the gunner, thanks to a camera in the nose, or home on a laser-sighted (by adequately-equipped trooper on-site) target. Missiles are mounted on a light trailer that carries all the necessary equipment, with detachable control panel (30m wire link). The trailer can be towed by any light vehicle of a jeep’s size or bigger.

These missiles can use any artillery warheads, and are often equipped with HEAT anti-tank warheads.

A single AGM-218 Haymaker missile costs 2,000 eb, and takes 3 spaces. It can be carried by aircraft as well.

Model: Mauser Bk-107 Type: light AA gun
Caliber: 27mm Accuracy:  +2
Damage: 9d10 / PEN 3 Blast area:  none
Ammo supply: 50 per barrel (200 total) Rate of fire: 70 per barrel (280 total)
Relability: VR Range: 800m
Deploy time:  1 minute
 Price: 12,000 eb
Your standard light AA gun from Mauser, Bk-107 can be posted almost anywhere. It uses a built-in diesel generator to provide electricity for it’s low-light vision equipment, optional targeting computers, as well as electrically cojntrolled rotation and elevation. Bk-107 lacks target acquisition radar, but can be linked into battery net for central target acquisition. If you don’t want to use the generator, electricity can be supplied by main line.  The EDF uses these both on the field and on her naval vessels.

Model: Oerlikon Gun-Nest Type: light AA post
Caliber: 25mm Accuracy:  +1
Damage: 8d10 Blast area:  none
Ammo supply: 50 Rate of fire:  25
Relability: VR Range: 600m
Deploy time: 20 minutes if assembly required, 5 minutes if not. Price: 1,000 eb
This general-purpose defence post consists of a 25mm autocannon on a pintle mount, and lightly-armoured (SP 25, 50% protection for crew) gun-nest made of armour-grade steel (it can be disassembled for ease of transport). A single crewman operates the gun, but the space within the post can house several more men – or, as seen here, spare ammo magazines. The gun-nest is a popular gate – protection set, since 25mm are likely to stop anything short of a full-fledged IFV from charging the gate.

Model: Militech “Mule” Type: mountain howitzer
Caliber: 105mm Accuracy: +1
Damage: 11d10 (PEN 6)
 Blast area: 6m
Ammo supply: reloaded every shot Rate of fire: 1/3
Relability: ST Range: 12 kilometers
Deploy time: 3 minutes Price: 10,000eb
A lighter, smaller, more portable (it can be broken into several man-portable components) if somewhat short-ranged variant of the standard 105mm howitzer, Mule is designed as a budget replacement for Haymaker missile system. It can be towed by a jeep as well, and 105mm rounds do pack quite a punch.  And they cost mere 500eb apiece (comparing to 2,000eb for a Haymaker).  The Mule requires a 4-man crew.

Model: CCMIC Type 63 Type: general-purpose field gun
Caliber: 90mm Accuracy: -1
Damage: 10d10 (PEN 5)
 Blast area: 6m
Ammo supply: reloaded every shot Rate of fire: 1/5
Relability: UR Range: 750m
Deploy time: 2 minutes Price: 12,000eb
This general-purpose battlefield gun (adapted from a light tank) would be quite okay, if not the shoddy worksmanship. It requires 4-man crew, and can be used against a wide variety of targets. And it’s cheap!

Model: FN-Arasaka Peacekeeper Type: dual heavy machine gun
Caliber: 15mm BRG Accuracy: +1
Damage: 7d10
 Blast area: none
Ammo supply: 100 per gun (200 total) Rate of fire: 30 per gun (60 total)
Relability: VR Range: 600 m
Deploy time: Immediate (mounted)
 Price: 4000eb
A heavy weapon for police forces, the Peacekeeper is intended primarily to be pintle-mounted (a reinforced pintle mount is required) on vehicles, like small patrol boats. It packs a punch for it’s class, and can be comfortably operated by a single crewman.

Model: Norinco Type 411 Type: recoilless gun
Caliber: 105mm Accuracy: +1
Damage: 10d10 / PEN 10 HEAT
 Blast area: 6m
Ammo supply: reloaded every shot Rate of fire: 1/4
Relability: ST Range: 800m, direct fire only
Deploy time: 2 minutes Price: 2500eb
Budget AT gun, the Type 411 is a simple yet effective method for lobbing HEAT rounds (as well as other projectiles that don’t rely on kinetic energy). Since it is rather lightweight and produces no troublesome recoil, it’s sometimes used in urban combat units. However, be wary of the backblast – it can ruin your day.

Model: Rostovic “Shashka” Type: artillery rocket
Caliber: 200mm Accuracy: -3
Damage: 15d10
 Blast area: 15m
Ammo supply: varies by launcher Rate of fire: any (rocket salvoes possible)
Relability: ST Range: 6 km, direct or indirect fire
Deploy time: depends on launcher Price: 1500 eb per rocket
“Shashka” is a general-purpose support rocket. As with many Russian systems, questionable manufacturing quality leads to some reliability problems, but apart from that, Shashka is a good weapon in it’s class. If you want to provide a devastating rocket barrage, simply link a few dozen of thes, and let them off.  Here, a double launcher can be seen on a modified Indian Army’s recon buggy.

Shashka can be carried and fired by aircraft – it takes 3 spaces per rocket

Model: Militech Guardian Type: sentry gun
Caliber: 25mm Accuracy: Skill 15
Damage: 8d10 (PEN 4)
 Blast area: none
Ammo supply: 1000 rounds per gun (2000 total) Rate of fire: 224 per gun (448 total)
Relability: ST Range: 500m (direct fire, won’t engage targets behind this range)
Deploy time: several hours (generally a stationary system) Price: 24,000eb
The Guardian is not much more than a bigger, more powerful APEX system (Chromebook 1). It consists of a 2.5 meter tall tower, with two 25mm GAU-12/U Gattling guns and an optical / IR target acquisition system with computer control. Usually, Guardians are controlled from a security command center, by a human operator who assigins them targets and conditions for opening fire, but they can be turned in fully automated mode, and kill anything not fitting in pre-programmed database of forbidden targets (yes, they may be programmed to ignore targets wearing some type of ID transceiver, much like APEX).

Each tower has batteries capable of sustaining it’s operations for 6 hours, but they’re usually powered via land-line, and linked to command center by cable links as well. Each tower is armoured up to SP 30, and has SDP 90.

Model: Norinco Type 44 Type: howitzer
Caliber: 280 mm Accuracy: -1
Damage: 16d10 (PEN 8)
 Blast area: reloaded every shot
Ammo supply: 48m Rate of fire: 1 / 10
Relability: ST Range: 18 km
Deploy time: 10 minutes Price: 15’000eb
This short-bareled (by modern standards) Chinese howitzer seems to be technically closer to a mortar... It was invented primarily as rivercraft weapon, installed on gunboats for heavy fire support. Type 44 lobs over 200kg projectiles, so it is usually equipped with an autoloader to help reloading (it doubles fire rate). Still, this weapon takes 20 spaces if installed on a vehicle, and every projectile is an another space (and 900 eb). Not to mention the quality of the whole item is less than perfect.  They sell a lot of these in Africa.

Model: Bofors Valkyrie Type: AA gun
Caliber: 30mm Accuracy: +2
Damage: 9d10
 Blast area: 3m
Ammo supply: 100 per gun (200 total) Rate of fire: 25 per gun (50 total)
Relability: VR Range: 800m
Deploy time: immediate, can fire while being towed
 Price: 18,000eb
A modern, twin-barelled AA gun, Valkyrie is fully stabilised system and can be fired while being towed from any light truck, or it can be set to a stationary position in just under 2 minutes.  Valkyrie sports it’s own target acquisition radar, as well as IR sensors and a laser rangefinder.  The EDF buys these weapons in bulk due to their versatility and low price.




Model: MILITECH "SLAM" Type: Short range howitzer
Caliber: 90mm Accuracy: +2
Damage: 10d10 (PEN 5)
 		Blast area: 3m
Ammo supply: 4 per gun (16 total) Rate of fire: 1 per gun (4 total)
Relability: VR Range: 4km (indirect) 2 (direct)
Deploy time: immediate, can fire while being towed
 Price: 18,000eb
Equipped with its own laser rangefinder and advanced targeting computer, the Slam is able to lob its shells with astounding accuracy.  The rounds are gravity fed from a magazine system beside the barrels, and in a heated battle, extra crewmen can even drop new rounds in while the gun is in use.  The weapon requires a crew of two, one to fire the weapon, the other to man the radar man the weapons meager defense system.  Consisting of ten 2" rockets, it at least has some small means of defense against helicopters and AV's.  Not an altogether effective defense, but a defense nonetheless.  It takes 2 minutes to ready the weapon for stationary defense, though it can fire while being towed.




Model: GE WHIRLWIND Type: AA gun
Caliber: .50 cal Accuracy: +2
Damage: 6d10
 Blast area: 3m
Ammo supply: 1000 per gun (2000 total) Rate of fire: 250 per gun (50 total)
Relability: VR Range: 800m
Deploy time: immediate, can fire while being towed
 Price: 12,000eb
Some weapons never become obsolete.  The whirlwind is a twin mounted .50 calibre gatling gun, while it was originally designed for anti aircraft fire, it is also devastating as an anti personell weapon.  It can fire while being towed, or can be hard placed as a stable gun position.  While traveling it is fed from its own ammo supply, but when mounted in a stationary position it can be fitted with much larger ammo drums or belt fed for continual fire.  The weapon is equipped with it’s own target acquisition computer and laser rangefinder.


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Written by Mike Van Atta and Deric "D" Bernier, images from Ghost In The Shell, Final Fantasy, Gundam, D20, Appleseed, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spriggan, Megaforce, Heavy Gear, Rifts, Battletech, GIJoe, Bubblegum Crisis, Jan Rukr.